Endless Loop 01B: Cursed Gold
by Katsuko1978
Summary: Chapters One through Four: It's been a while since we've spoken, and I'm sure you want to know how I got to where I am now. Well, get comfortable because this is going to take a while. Chapter Five onward: The Master of Domino remains MIA, and someone has
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: Yuugiou is owned by Takahashi Kazuki. The original storyline is the property of Eternal SailorM aka Touzaku'Ou and spun off of the Anita Blake universe created by Laurell K. Hamilton. The title comes from one of my doujinshi of the same name (pretty and twisted little KaiJou thing that it is...)

Warnings: Like I said, this is spun off the Anita Blake universe so expect much AU-ness. Also, Jounouchi may be a bit odd but circumstances considered, it isn't terribly out-of-character for him. Also will be mentions of shounen-ai on some low level but nothing much here. If (and only if) I feel the urge to continue the spin off of Eternal SailorM's _Color of Life_ series the warnings may become stronger. And I'm babbling in my notes...!

Dedications: My wonderful beta readers Eternal SailorM and Kleptomaniac Can Opener. Also the kitties Aya and Biscuit for keeping me company while I type.

Note: Jounouchi is speaking to a former friend who at some point may be his friend again. Who? I'll leave that up to you to guess (although if you read _Color of Life_ it may be fairly easy to guess who )

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

* * *

Okay, so maybe I _am_ a pet. There are worse fates for my kind, and at least I _know_ I always have a safe place to sleep and people who care about what happens to me.

It all started when Bakura Ryou first arrived at Domino High. Now, you have to know a little background info to understand the significance: first off, by that point I'd been living a double life as a wereleopard in a fairly gang-ish pard by night and a delinquent from a broken home by day for nearly a year. None of my schoolmates knew I was a Were, the teachers didn't talk about it although they _did_ know (some law or something says the school has to know when Weres or vamps are students, I think), but everyone avoided me. They knew I was an outcast--and a dangerous one at that. And most transfer students intuited that fact upon laying eyes on me.

Which is why I was so stunned when lunch time came. As everyone else was trying to get as far away from me as possible, Ryou dropped into the chair _right_ next to the one I was slouched in and offered me a bright smile.

"Hi!"

I didn't say it, but mentally I was going, _Nyow?_ I was used to being shunned or ignored by normals; Kaasan and Shizuka don't count since they're family and witches so... yeah. Ryou's behaviour confused me as much as it did the other students--hell, Honda Hiroto looked ready to pass out from shock and he was just _barely_ tolerated by the student body as a whole!

Before I could overcome my surprise and confusion enough to respond he was speaking again: "You looked a little lonely so I thought I'd sit with you. Aren't you going to eat? My brother thinks I don't eat enough and put a little too much in my lunch. You want to share? Oh, and I'm Ryou, but you know that. What's your name?" And that was all in one breath, too. I took a moment to just stare at him before finding my voice to answer.

"Jounouchi." As an afterthought I added, "Katsuya."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Jounouchi-kun," he replied with a bright smile. "So... want to share?"

I blinked at him a couple times before nodding a bit hesitantly. Truth be told I hadn't had a real meal for about a week at that point--Oyaji would much rather lock me out of the apartment than feed me, Hirutani couldn't be bothered with making sure any of the pard ate, and I'd just seen Kaasan the previous weekend. My 'lunch' plans had been to go sit outside and hope that a squirrel wandered too close. Well, yeah, they can be kinda chewy but when you're as hungry as I was getting...

Did I mention that Ryou's got one of those light-up-the-whole-damn-city smiles? He flashed me another one of those and began pulling food out of his bento. I knew my eyes must've been in danger of popping out of my head; hell, I didn't know you could fit _that_ much in one of those boxes! Ryou noticed my attention and snickered softly before pushing a few pieces of the meat towards me.

"I know, Niisan went a bit overboard, but I know he just wants to take care of me. The beef's pretty good, but Niisan likes it a bit too rare for my taste." I later found out Bakura's idea of 'rare' is to run it through a warm room, which is a bit _too_ rare for even me.

Let's not even mention squirrels again, okay?

Anyway, back to what I was saying. I still wasn't too sure of what Ryou was up to, but the beef _did_ smell good. Keeping my eyes locked on the other boy I quickly snatched a piece and bit into it before he could change his mind about sharing. He was right; it _was_ good. Not too rare, and not too much spice added. I finished it in a couple of bites and grabbed some more, still watching Ryou.

His smile brightened a bit and he laughed softly. "I'm not going to take it from you," he said. "I can't eat this much by myself." As he spoke he pushed some more of the meat and a few pieces of broccoli towards me. "Besides," he added, the hint of a frown crossing his lips, "you look too thin."

...well, yeah, I was--and still am, actually--too thin for my height. Part of that comes from being so young when I was turned, the rest from Oyaji's oh-so-wonderful parenting skills. That's one of the reasons Kaasan's pleased that I don't live with Oyaji anymore.

I didn't really answer Ryou's observation, just shrugged and quickly devoured--yes, _devoured_--everything he'd put in front of me. Despite my bad manners he seemed pleased and started in on his own lunch. I could hear the other students around us whispering, but I was so used to _that_ that I ignored them. Ryou frowned a bit but did likewise.

He stuck by me pretty much the rest of the day, shooting looks at the gossip mongers from time to time and politely asking Tekashi-sensei if he could move his seat next to mine permanently. Tekashi-sensei was a bit stunned--like I said, the teachers all knew what I am--but seemed okay with that. I think, in all honesty, that she was pleased that someone was making an effort to be my friend at a time when I really, _really_ needed one the most. My grades were in danger of plummeting and I had no real interest in doing anything about it. That's changed a hell of a lot, but that's a story for later.

After the strangeness of the day I opted _not_ to run with my pard that night, instead sneaking into the apartment and hiding out from Oyaji in my room. I didn't get much sleep since the bastard realized I was home sometime around midnight and kicked me out. I wound up wandering around the classier side of town, since Hirutani wouldn't be caught dead where the Master vamp of Domino might see him. True, Gouzaburou really didn't give a fuck what the Weres did so much as they left humans alone for the most part and didn't start anything in the streets, but Hirutani was already on thin ice 'cause of my existence. Turning a teenager _is_ illegal and all that, but the cops tend to let the Master deal with it. Although Kaiba senior didn't do much 'cept rip Hirutani up one side and down the other then gave him some kinda warning about not fucking up again. I'm pretty sure I know what _that_ means... I'll get into that a bit later too.

Eventually morning came, so I wandered off to school, half-wondering if the class spokesbitch Mazaki Anzu had gotten to Ryou yet. If so, I was almost positive that he'd never speak to me again much less share his lunch. I was pretty resigned to that fate. After all, I _was_ the class outcast. Being shunned was nothing new.

Let me just take a moment to say I've learned _not_ to jump to conclusions.

I was barely in the building when I could hear Mazaki and Ryou; I hadn't even realized Ryou could get that loud. And while others could only hear snippets of what was being said, I caught every word.

"You don't know what he's like! He hardly even comes to school and our class would be much better off if he dropped out all together!"

...did I mention that Mazaki's a bitch? Hmm? Oh, yeah, you already knew that. Sorry.

"And you _do_ know Jounouchi-kun?" Ryou snapped back--I later swore that he actually _snarled_--as I reached the door to our classroom. "I bet you've never bothered to even _talk_ to him. Do you even know his first name?"

"He's a low-life punk!" Mazaki returned, ignoring the fact that I was now in the room. "A complete _loser!_ He has been for _years_, but for the past year he's gotten worse!"

Now that stung. It was a reminder of what I'd lost--of _all_ that I'd lost--and I raised a hand to the thick leather collar around my neck. Yeah, Weres heal fast and all that, but Hirutani's bite never faded. He damn near ripped my throat out; my collar is the only thing that covers the scars.

The bitch may have been ignoring me, but Ryou wasn't. And he had definitely noticed my reaction to Mazaki's words; in point two seconds, he went from annoyed and mildly angry to incredibly, scarily pissed off.

Side note: a scarily pissed-off Ryou is enough to make the most jaded vampire whimper. Believe me, I witnessed _that_ myself, but that's another story altogether.

"You know absolutely _nothing_," Ryou hissed. "About _Katsuya-kun_"--I swear Mazaki paled when he used my given name--"about _real_ life, about _real_ friends... _nothing_. Jounouchi Katsuya is my friend, and if _you_ don't like it..." He paused, glaring at the class as a whole (even the teacher's student-aide Kaiba Seto, who was on the other side of the room 'innocently' pretending to read an upside-down novel) and apparently trying to decide what to say to drive his point home. After a moment, he smirked and concluded his thought: "If you don't like it, then you can all go fuck yourselves."

I wish I'd have had a video camera to record their reactions. Queen Bitch's eyes widened in shock, and her mouth kept moving although nothing came out; Nosaka Miho gasped and delicately covered her mouth with one hand as her face turned bright red--for the record, red clashes horribly with her hair; Honda fell off his chair, then swore at said chair as if it wasn't _his_ fault he'd lost his balance; Se-_Kaiba_ dropped his book and stared at Ryou. There were some other great reactions, but those were the most notable or amusing.

I just felt oddly happy. I hadn't really had a friend since before my turning, and I had to struggle to keep from purring aloud. Somehow I managed to maintain a neutral expression as I remarked, "Yeesh, Ryou, I think you broke 'em all."

Ryou shrugged, still smirking. "They were asking for it. I think Niisan would have gone further, though. Oh!" The smirk vanished, only to be replaced with a slightly nervous smile. "You wanna come over to my place after school? Niisan wants to meet you."

My first thought was, _Who would want to meet **me?**_ I pushed it away quickly. Ryou was being friendly and it was generally no big deal for the siblings of your friends to want to meet you.

Of course, if I'd've known then what I know now, I would have declined... and probably run the other way. But like I said, I've learned not to jump to conclusions.

"Sure," I said with a small smile of my own.

* * *

Well, there's chapter one of _Cursed Gold_. More to come, promise 


	2. Chapter 2

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta readers Eternal SailorM and Kleptomaniac Can Opener. Also the kitties Aya and Biscuit for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

* * *

There are few things in the world that can make me forget to curb my instinctive reactions. When I'm angry, I keep from snarling; when I'm frightened, I hold back on hissing; when content, my purring is mental only... at least in public. That's changed over the past couple of years, but I'll get to that later.

Apparently following a friend into his apartment to discover a tanned duplicate sitting on the couch--eating Cheetos, watching anime and swearing at the characters, I might add--is one of those things. It was only when I found one pair of brown eyes and one pair of silver locked on me with varying degrees of confusion that I realized my _myow_ of confusion was uttered aloud, at which point I blushed and willed the floor to open up and swallow me whole. Bakura claims to this day that I clashed with the couch...

After a few seconds, during which the floor refused to cooperate, the duplicate spoke up: "I thought you were bringing home a friend, not another cat."

"Niisan!" Let me note that that was the first time I'd ever hear Ryou sound scandalized. It sure as _hell_ wasn't the last; actually, it's almost a daily occurrence...

The other Bakura sibling smirked. "Well, brat, does he have a name--or can I just call him 'kitty?'"

Apparently Ryou recovers quickly: "_Yes_, Niisan, like I told you yesterday. And you shouldn't be rude; Jounouchi-kun hasn't had that good of a day."

"Poor kitty."

Did I mention that up until this point I was waiting for the floor to open up and swallow me? There's just something about sarcasm directed at me that pisses me off, though (even if I can be a sarcastic bastard myself)...

"Yeah, well, we can't _all_ sit on our asses and watch _Sailormoon_ all day," I countered before realizing that my mouth had run off without me... again.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Like I said, Ryou sounds scandalized often. Hell, _I_ probably _looked_ scandalized! You know how people say they see their lives flash before their eyes when they think they're about to die? I was watching the opening credits.

"Hmm. Kitty's got a backbone." The Bakura on the couch looked oddly pleased. "Good. _Maybe_ I can trust you around the brat." He turned off the TV and smirked--I've kinda learned that that's his default expression. Hell, _your_ default is kinda _I know, I'm the greatest_, but that's not a bad thing, really!

I was trying to process the fact that I was still breathing when he reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me down to the floor. Before I could ask what the hell he was doing he'd caught hold of my chin and forced my eyes to meet his. I'll have to admit that I felt just a little like something that should have been in a laboratory with the way he was examining me. After a moment he tilted my head back to focus on my collar. It was only when he reached for the clasp that I broke out of my apparent paralysis, one of my hands catching his and forcing it away.

"No."

Bakura's eyes narrowed slightly; it wasn't until, like, a month later that I found out he wasn't directly that particular glare at me. "I thought your kind healed quickly, kitty," he ground out, forcing my eyes to meet his. "And although I _know_ Weres have a slight leather obsession you're the first one I've seen in a collar. Someone try to kill you before you were turned, or did you piss off the wrong vamp?"

I didn't even hear Ryou yelling at Dorobou--yeah, I _do_ call him that. Didja think he was making that up?--all I could hear was my own blood pounding in my veins. My vision sharpened to the point that the lights seemed too bright and I felt my canines sharpen. It was only a minor shift, but purely unconscious. I usually have tighter control than that, but Dorobou had pushed the wrong buttons.

"All honesty, I should be dead right now," I hissed; I could hear Ryou draw in a sharp breath at the change in my voice. "Someone _did_ try to kill me. More than that, actually. Excuse me for leaving out the details as I don't _remember_ them, but my Nimir-Raj intended for me to die, _not_ turn."

You've heard of uncomfortable silences. 'Uncomfortable' didn't even _begin_ to describe the silence that fell after I stopped talking. I was mildly pissed off and primed for a fight, which meant I'd likely track down my pard upon leaving and see how much damage I could do before they forced me back into my 'place'; Ryou was still staring as if he expected one or both of us to spontaneously combust if he blinked; Dorobou was still glaring through me. After what seemed like forever, Bakura let his hand drop and stood up.

"I've gotta job tonight," he announced with absolutely no inflection. "Lock the door when I leave and _keep_ it locked, brat. I'll be a bit late. There's... something I need to look into." The last part was added with a sidelong glance my way.

"Alright, Niisan," Ryou replied, dredging up a weak smile. "Should I put your dinner in the fridge?"

I figured _now_ might be a good time to leave and started towards the door. After all, I _really_ needed to get out before I shifted further. That plan came to an abrupt end when a hand attached itself to my arm. I turned slightly to find Bakura staring at me once more.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

"Mew?" And _yes_, I know how stupid that sounds now. I realized it sounded stupid the moment I meowed, but like I said, the Bakuras have a tendency to cause me to act instinctively.

Dorobou turned slightly to address Ryou: "Nah, I'll nuke something when I get home. Just feed yourself and Kitty here. And if the damned door isn't locked when I get home--"

"I _know_, Niisan."

Bakura nodded and let go of my arm, moving past me to pick up... something from the side table. He shot me a look before speaking again: "You and I _will_ talk when I get back."

...I couldn't help myself.

"Oh, so I've got to have an interview now? Whatever happened to 'hi, let's be friends'?"

"Jounouchi-kun!"

"Smart ass."

"Seriously," I asked, still annoyed but really, _really_ curious, "what are you, some kinda P. I. or something?"

"Information services."

"Industrial espionage."

...for the record, the Bakura twins should never, ever speak in unison. It's damn freaky.

Still, I caught the important information. "So you're a thief?"

"'Thief' is such a strong word," Bakura said, tugging on a black trench coat. "I prefer the term 'borrowing technology and information.'"

"Whatever. Dorobou." The only reply I got was a smirk and an absent wave as Bakura headed out the door. Before I could even _think_ about making an escape, Ryou latched onto me.

"I'm sorry about Niisan," he said softly. "He... he tries. We both do. We never really had positive role models growing up so..." Ryou trailed off with a vague shrug, but I understood. With my pard and Oyaji as my main support system, it wasn't my place to judge anyone.

"It's okay," I replied. "No worries. So... what's for dinner?"

I was rewarded with a bright, grateful smile. "Let's see what we come up with."

* * *

That's all there is for chapter two. More to come as soon as it's written. 


	3. Chapter 3

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta readers Eternal SailorM and Kleptomaniac Can Opener. Also the kitties Aya and Biscuit for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

* * *

I can only assume that I fell asleep sometime after we cleaned up the dinner dishes. I remember goofing off with Ryou while we finished up and opening my history book to study, but I don't recall lying down on the couch. One minute I was staring at my book and the lights were on; the next I was curled up on my side with my head in someone's lap, and that someone was petting me.

Before I could even open my eyes, I heard Ryou's voice: "Niisan? When'd you get back?" It came from the other side of the room, which meant that Bakura was the twin on the couch with me.

"About an hour ago." He kept his voice at a level just above a whisper; I assumed he thought I was still asleep. I also picked up a faint tone of anger, but it wasn't directed towards anyone present. Deciding that discretion was probably a good idea, I continued to feign sleep.

"Why are you still up?" Ryou asked, his voice coming closer. "It's after midnight."

"Thinking," Dorobou replied.

"About...?"

A heavy sigh accompanied by fingers lightly scratching the back of my head. "About how unfair life is sometimes. I did some 'research' tonight on Kitty."

"Niisan--"

"I thought we had it rough. Kitty's homelife... comes pretty damn close." Dorobou fell silent for a moment, still petting my hair lightly. I could hear Ryou settle on the floor close by, but I still kept my eyes shut.

"How long?" he asked after a minute or so.

"Ten months. Part of a pard for six, tops. Broken home, stuck with a father who could _almost_ give Oyaji a run for his money for eight months." I nearly flinched at how coldly that was recited. I knew my life sucked, but it sounded so much worse to hear the 'highlights' spoken in that toneless manner.

Either I _did_ flinch somewhat or Ryou picked up on my discomfort as he chose that moment to rest one hand on my arm. "At his home..." he began hesitantly, "it isn't physical?"

I guess Dorobou must have shaken his head before speaking: "Verbal. Although when I was there it looked like Jounouchi-kitty spends a lot of time ducking flying objects."

"So the bags by the door are Jounouchi-kun's things."

"Yeah. Also found out a few things about his pard." I nearly gave myself away; Hirutani may have been a first-class bastard, but a few of my pard-mates were okay Weres.

"You didn't hurt anyone, did you?" Ryou asked, unconsciously stroking my arm. It was kinda nice--the contact, I mean. The Bakuras weren't family but they weren't hesitant to be near me.

"Nope," Dorobou replied, "didn't have to. A 'lady' named Mitsaki was more than willing to answer my questions."

Mitsaki-san was one of my okay pard-mates. I used to think she'd make a good Nimir-Raja, but she wasn't strong enough to take down Hirutani. I still miss her. What? Oh, I'll tell you what happened to her in a little while.

"Is it bad?"

"Remember the Weres in Tokyo?" I can only assume Ryou nodded, because Bakura continued almost immediately: "This pard is _worse_. And the Master of Domino isn't happy with this Hirutani but won't do anything because Kitty is being 'held down.' Unless I'm way off, I'd say they're afraid."

Ryou sounded about as confused by that as I felt. "Afraid? Of what?"

"His potential."

"Oh."

The twins fell silent for a long time, both unconsciously petting me as they gathered their thoughts. After what felt like forever, Dorobou finally spoke: "You need to go to bed, brat. It's almost one and you've got classes in the morning."

"I know." A pause, then, "I'll get Jounouchi-kun's homework, too."

Dorobou made a sound of agreement, then Ryou patted my arm before I heard him rise and cross the room. After a moment I heard a door close and lock, then silence again. Dorobou heaved a sigh before speaking: "Why the _hell_ do you stay and put up with all their shit?" He didn't speak _too_ loudly, but the tone indicated that he knew damn well I hadn't been asleep for a while. I suppose he'd be a pretty bad thief if he wasn't observant, but _damn_...!

"Legally, I'm stuck," I replied quietly, opening my eyes just enough to see that the only light in the room was from the streetlights outside. "Otherwise I'd be in Osaka with Kaasan and Shizuka. Is it, well, wrong to hate your father?"

"Not if he deserves your hatred," came the instantaneous reply. I think it was right about then that I realized Dorobou and I had at least one thing in common--and if you wanna know, Yami, you'll have to take it up with him. I don't tell his secrets, and he doesn't tell mine.

I didn't reply, and he wasn't waiting for an answer. "Ryou won't let you go back there," Dorobou said. "And if you have any sense in that blond head of yours, you won't go back to them, either."

"Ain't that easy."

"For you, Kitty, it just might be."

I wondered what _that_ meant, and I _would_ have asked about it had he not settled back more heavily on the couch at that moment. "Mrr?"

"Go back to sleep," Dorobou replied, once more petting my hair lightly. "We'll talk in the morning."

Normally I'd have argued that I wasn't tired, but I _had_ fallen asleep fairly early in the evening and the couch was comfortable. The fact that I felt safer in the Bakura's apartment than I had anywhere else for a long time was a factor, too, I'll readily admit that. So, rather than speak up, I opted to purr softly in reply and let my eyes fall shut once more.

* * *

Did anyone figure out before the reveal that Jounouchi's been talking to Yami this whole time? If so, cyber cookies for you! If not, don't worry about it; I was purposely being vague.

That's a wrap for chapter three. stay tuned for chapter four


	4. Chapter 4

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta readers Eternal SailorM and Kleptomaniac Can Opener. Also the kitties Aya and Biscuit for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

* * *

I didn't go to school the next day; instead, Dorobou and I had a long talk about everything and nothing at all. It was pretty obvious from the way Ryou unpacked the things Dorobou brought from my apartment that I was officially a member of the household, despite only knowing them for a day (two in Ryou's case), and to be honest I didn't mind. Mid-afternoon, I called Kaasan and talked to her for a couple hours; I told a little white lie and said I was visiting a friend to explain the unfamiliar number on the Caller ID. I felt it was too early to tell her I'd left home so to speak.

Over the next few days, the three of us fell into a comfortable routine: Ryou and I would head to school while Dorobou watched cable and researched potential jobs. After school, we'd head home and study before making dinner; usually Dorobou would be there and attempt to help us from time to time. That was when I found out his definition of 'rare,' by the way. We'd eat, sometimes while watching TV, and then just hang around the apartment for the rest of the evening.

It was sometime on the fourth day--around dinnertime, actually, as I was making a vegetable stew that Kaasan had given me the recipe for--that I realized I hadn't even _thought_ of my pard since my conversation with Dorobou. In my brief moment of distraction, I burnt my hand on the pot, but I barely noticed it in spite of Ryou's fussing. I was a bit lost in my thoughts, going over what Dorobou and I'd discussed that first morning. Until that point I never really believed his claims that the Master and Hirutani were afraid of me. But I'd reached a point where I didn't _need_ the pard. I would rather be close to my friends... my chosen family.

After being shooed out of the kitchen by Ryou, I wandered into the living room and curled up on one end of the couch. I sat quietly for a while, barely noticing Dorobou's concerned frown, coming up with a plan in my head. Once my decision was made I picked up the phone and dialed Mitsaki-san's cell.

"Hello?" Her tone was slightly suspicious, probably because of the unfamiliar number.

"It's me."

"Jounouchi-ichi? Where have you been? I've been so worried!" she exclaimed. "The last I saw you was before some Bakura guy started asking around about you."

"I'm sorry, Mitsaki-san," I said softly; from the corner of my eye, I noticed Dorobou slipping out of the room. "I've been rethinking some of the decisions I've made in my life. Bakura's been helping me out."

"So he _is_ your friend," she said, relief evident in her tone. "I'm glad. He didn't seem to be deceptive but I didn't tell him too much just to be on the safe side."

"I told him everything he didn't know," I replied; that's another little white lie. I still have some secrets that not even you know, and I've no intention of sharing. "I have a favour to ask of you, Mitsaki-san."

"Hm?"

I glanced towards the doorway to make sure neither of the twins was listening in. "Will you vouch for me?"

"Any time," Mitsaki-san replied, conviction in her voice. "You're strong, Jounouchi-ichi, and I know you can manage without the Nimir-Raj holding you back. When do you want to do this?"

We talked for another twenty minutes, making plans to meet around ten and confront Hirutani. After hanging up I stood and went into the bathroom. For about five minutes, I frowned at my reflection, still dismayed that my eyes were shifting ever closer to amber; at that point they were amber towards the iris and ringed by the deep brown they once were, almost like a reverse sunflower. I hated it because I'd inherited the colour from Kaasan, and it made me sad that I was slowly losing part of who I was. It doesn't bother me now, of course, the leopard is part of who I am. Back then, though, I hated that side of me.

I stood there for a while longer, then finally reached up and removed my collar. Nodding at my reflection once, I left the bathroom, placed my collar on the table by the door and grabbed my jacket. It was already quarter till nine, which meant I'd wasted an hour glaring at myself and that I had to hurry if Mitsaki-san and I were going to do this tonight. I'd just pulled on my jacket and adjusted the collar up when I heard Dorobou behind me.

"Going out for a while, Kitty?"

"Yeah," I replied, turning slightly but not enough for my scars to be seen (yeah, I'd _mentioned_ them to Dorobou but I didn't _show_ them to him). "I've got a few things to take care of. I won't be gone too long."

Dorobou nodded slightly. "Be careful. The Master of this city's too lenient with certain factions."

_Don't **I** know it,_ I thought bitterly even as I said, "Yeah, yeah, I'll be careful. I'm not a kid, y'know."

"Smart ass. Just watch your back."

Again I nodded as I stepped out the door, grinning as I listened to the locks click into place. We're careful about that even if it slips my mind occasionally. You'll have to ask Dorobou about why; it's another of those secrets I keep to myself.

It took me about ten minutes to get to the abandoned arcade where Mitsaki-san and I planned to meet. As I walked I consciously shifted into my anthropomorphic form; it's easier to detect potential dangers if all of my senses are open to the world around me, and I'm never more aware than when I'm in full or partial leopard form. That's why I knew something was wrong when Mitsaki-san wasn't waiting for me when I arrived. Her scent wasn't more than six minutes old, and she'd had company; there were eight other scents I recognized as well. Add to that the fact I could hear shuffling in the alley, it was obvious that the rest of the pard beat me there.

"I know you're still here, Hirutani," I snarled. "Your scent's still fresh."

"The kit's growing up so fast," Hirutani replied, stepping from the shadows. The others minus Mitsaki-san followed him, a couple of the older ones hanging back a bit. I silently cursed the fact that most of the pard was downwind; something was _very_ off and it made my fur stand on end.

"Where is she?" I asked, shifting slightly to keep the Nimir-Raj in my line of sight.

"We've all been concerned, Jounouchi," he said, ignoring my question. "It's been days. I was starting to think you didn't like me anymore."

"I _despise_ you," I bit out, trying to locate Mitsaki-san in the darkness of the alley behind him. "I don't need _any_ of you."

That caused a flurry of panicked whispers amongst the group. Hirutani paled slightly before shifting into his hybrid form. Yellow eyes peered at me with all the emotion of (pardon the analogy) a housecat watching a beetle.

"So you want to vouch out," he hissed; the Weres closest to him shrunk back several steps. "I was rather hoping you'd come to your senses and accept your place in the pard."

"And play at being _content_ as the resident fuck toy? I _have_ come to my senses. I. Want. _Out_."

Hirutani smirked. "Ambitious little kit," he purred, taking a step to my left; I countered with a step of my own in the opposite direction. "It's damned difficult to vouch for yourself, Jouno. You can't always count on the Were at your back. After all, the dead are useless in a fight."

It was at that moment the 'elders' of the pard shifted, the scents of Mitsaki-san and blood and death hitting me all at once. Suddenly I had a very clear image of what had transpired in the minutes before my arrival. It doesn't take long for a pard of that size to rip another Were limb from limb.

Hirutani was trying to break me by removing my one ally within the pard.

"Bastard," I hissed quietly, sinking into a crouch,"for that I'll kill you slow... but not today. Today is for me." I gave no warning; one moment I was hybrid, the next I'd fully shifted and attacked.

Unfortunately Hirutani was fast, too. He _just_ managed to dodge me as he shifted to his full form. I rose from my crouched/landing position and growled softly as he tried to get behind me. The bastard always attacked from behind; I always approached head-on. No way in hell was I gonna let him have more of an advantage than he already did.

I could hear a couple of the other Weres off to the side, most likely plotting to overpower me so that _their_ Nimir-Raj wouldn't have to get bloody. I tensed slightly in anticipation of a side strike, only to be startled by a gunshot and a pained yelp; it was the American, if I'm remembering correctly.

Hirutani snarled and scented the air, but I knew if I wasn't picking anything up in the faint breeze, he sure as hell wasn't. "Who would back you?" he demanded, circling away from me. "What _human_ is your second?"

_Dorobou,_ was the first thought that popped into my head; I guess he picked up the other phone and listened as I made my plans with Mitsaki-san. Aloud I replied, "Nobody you know. I'd suggest we keep _this_ between the two of us." _That_ got a whine covered up--badly--by a growl. Hirutani really _was_ afraid now.

I won't bore you with all the bloody details. I didn't kill him--just made him wish he was dead by the time I was through. Hm? Oh, a few bites and scratches, nothing compared to what I gave him. I think he laid low for two months. That's how long it took to grow all his limbs back _and_ for his insides to knit properly.

As for my former pard, quite a few of them received gunshot wounds; three had limbs actually shot off. I didn't feel a whole lot of pity for them. They were Hirutani's, not a one of them had the balls to take a stand.

I started to walk away then, only to stop and smirk in amusement. Coming towards me was Dorobou, a shotgun slung over his shoulder rather casually. He had his default expression in place by the time he got to where I was standing.

"Hey, Kitty, what's up?"

I almost laughed, he was so nonchalant. Hell, he was obviously proud of something. I wasn't sure of _what_ at the time, so I just played along.

"Oh, not a lot. Got my business taken care of." I shrugged slightly and grinned. "What are you doing out and about?"

"Just taking a stroll." He glanced around at the other Weres; the ones who hadn't passed out from blood loss were staring at us. "This looks like a war zone, Kitty. What happened here?"

"Y'know, it was the weirdest thing," I replied with my own devious look. "Someone started shooting at 'em. I'd guess whoever it was had a shotgun."

"Who'd be toting around a shotgun in this city?"

I swear the American and his bitch whimpered at that. 'course, Chono might have been whimpering since she'd received a hit to the chest, but I'm no mind reader.

"Well, there are four ways to defend yourself in Domino after dark: be a Were, be a witch, be a vamp, or carry a shotgun."

"Hmm... I think I'll stick with option number four."

"It suits you." I shot a quick glance at the Weres around us before casually stepping over a random arm. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go crawl into bed."

Dorobou fell into step beside me. "What bed? You sleep on the couch, Kitty."

"I like the couch."

"You're very strange."

I just smirked. "Normal is overrated."

So, that's the whole story--or at least the highlights. That was the last interaction I had with my former pard; they stay on their side of the city, and I stick close to home.

I know sometimes people think that there's "something" between me and Ryou or occasionally between me and Dorobou, but they're like brothers to me. Hell, they both call Kaasan 'Mom!' No, my interest is fully invested in a certain undead pain in the ass, but don't ask me to explain it 'cause I can't.

So, did that answer your question, Yami?

* * *

And thus ends Cursed Gold... not really. This is actually just the beginning. Chapter five will bring everything back into the current **Color of Life** time line... just from Jounouchi's point of view. 


	5. Chapter 5

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta readers Eternal SailorM and Kleptomaniac Can Opener. Also the kitties Aya and Biscuit for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

Note: This chapter brings CG to the current timeline in the _Color of Life_ universe. Anything that looks familiar should, as it's already been mentioned in CoL; just now you get another perspective of certain events.

* * *

Okay, is it bad that I'm more than a little amused by Yami's non-reaction? For the past ten minutes he's been gawking at me, and I'm not quite sure if it's because of everything I just told him or because the entire time I was talking my head never left Dorobou's lap. Yeah, it doesn't help my argument that I view the guy as the big brother I never had, but we've done this kinda thing since day one.

"I think you broke Mutou-san," Ryou points out helpfully after a moment.

"Good. Maybe we can ditch him," Dorobou says; and here I was thinking he'd fallen asleep. I can't help but snicker when Yami shoots him a glare.

"I hate you," he growls. I roll my eyes; it's hard to be impressed by a patented Mutou Yami growl when I can do it a thousand times better.

"The feeling's mutual." Now Dorobou's snarls _are_ impressive. I think we spend too much time together... well, when I'm actually home.

"Niisan, Mutou-san..."

That's my cue. Shifting only a few inches I give both of the idiots a glare. "Look. It's getting on towards midnight and sunrise is in six hours. I'd suggest that anyone heading to Kaiba's with me shut up and go to sleep. I sure as hell don't wanna go in there half asleep. Ryou," I turn a gentler gaze to the other twin, "you should probably get some sleep, too."

I _know_ Yami's staring at me, but I don't care. Ryou gives me a grateful look and rises from the couch.

"Mutou-san, I'm afraid we don't have a guest room, but I'm sure Jounouchi-kun won't mind if you stretch out on the couch."

"Thank you," Yami replies even as Dorobou gives him ones of those 'if looks could kill' glares. I shake my head and close my eyes, determined to get _some_ sleep in the next few hours.

"You aren't coming with us."

"Wanna bet?"

"Shut the fuck up, both of you." Ah. That shut them both up for the moment. Must be the shock of me swearing in Yami's case. Now to get some rest. I'll need it around Seto; much as he aggravates me I can't help but love him. I just hope he's willing to help.

Getting into the Kaiba mansion is way too easy. You'd think the guy would hire someone to keep watch during the day but noooo. Half hour till dawn and there's not a soul around... _every_ employee and guard here is a vamp. I swear, if I hadn't gone to the same school with him for a couple of years I'd think he was older than nineteen... damned elitist.

We circle around to the back door and I see Yami's mouth drop open as I punch in 0-1-2-5, causing the alarm system to go into standby until we're all inside. Hey, is Dorobou...? Yeah, his eyes are _locked_ on Yami's ass. I shouldn't be amused, but my old friend is so obviously infatuated with my 'brother' that I'm surprised he doesn't have guards around our apartment. How Dorobou has failed to see that is beyond me...

As we head deeper into the Kaiba mansion I subtly shift, not enough for Yami to notice a difference but enough for my senses to be a bit sharper. I know Dorobou thinks I'm listening for Seto but in truth I track every inhabitant by their scent. As I suspected, Mr. I-Can-_So_-Beat-Sunrise is holed up in his home office. Mokuba's scent is coming from farther off--kid's down for the count, I suppose--and the sometimes-ish pair are absent. Good deal, since I almost got caught by the little one about a month ago... which is why I wait until right about now to slip in anymore.

I stop outside Seto's office and turn slightly, keeping my voice low as I speak. "He's usually in here working till he's just about to pass out." At which point I may or may not haul his ass to his room. For a supposed genius, he can be a damned idiot at times.

"I hope you _have_ some idea what you're going to say to him," Yami murmurs, looking as if he's rather be anywhere else. That, or he wishes he had a half dozen bodyguards right now. Really, he and Seto do _not_ get along.

Dorobou simply pushes the doors open and strides in like he owns the room. The second he sets foot in the office Seto ceases typing and glares at the three of us. I'd feel more threatened if I couldn't small exhaustion rolling off him.

"What the hell do you want?" he snarls, no sign of his fangs at all. Now _that_ is pretty impressive. I can only assume he learned from his brothers... Well, they're not really his brothers but I don't know what the term is for vampires turned by the same sire living in close proximity. 'Brother' just seems to fit.

Dorobou opts not to answer just yet, flopping into a chair and slouching comfortably before deigning to reply. "I need to know how to find the Master of the City." Simple as that. And he says _I_ blurt shit out! On a side note, Yami shouldn't smack himself in the face every time Dorobou cuts straight to the point or he'll have a permanent hand print across his forehead.

Seto takes a moment to just stare at Dorobou like he belongs on the short bus or something. "The Master of the City died three months ago. He took a dive out a skyscraper window at dawn if you'll recall."

Yep, that's how Gouza-bastard died, all right. I'm of the opinion that he had a little help, especially as no Were or vamp in the city remembers seeing him for the twenty-four hours _before_ he took that morning dive.

Dorobou forges ahead quickly: "That's the previous Master. I'm looking for the current one. You know: the one who's MIA? I need to know how to find him."

Seto's eyes narrow in suspicion. It's not surprising, since as long as I've know Kaiba Seto he's been suspicious by nature. "Why are you looking for him?"

I almost--_almost_--say, "To smack the shit out of him for slacking off," but I restrain myself. Even if it's what _I_ wanna do to the guy right now, I doubt it would go over well with Seto. Thankfully Dorobou's already speaking before I can open my mouth.

"Everyone's going completely apeshit without the Master keeping order," he says. "They're going to war in the streets."

Seto rolls his eyes, and I resist the urge to lean over the desk and smack him. "Everyone knows that." Damn, he sounds almost condescending. I hope Dorobou missed that. "There's been some injuries, but it's not like a bystander's been killed."

"Tonight one was." ... Fuck, I guess that explains the static feel in the air outside the apartment when I got home. I can't really see or recognize the presence of spirits when I'm in human form but I can smell something like electricity after they've gone. I'll have to ask later who died. Dorobou continues, "It'll just get worse from here on out."

That seems to have gotten through to him a little bit. I decide to take a chance and lean down on his desk. "We're all older brothers here," I say, noticing Dorobou's mildly shocked expression at that. I ignore it and continue with, "Don't you want to make the city safe for Mokuba?"

"It wasn't particularly safe for him under the previous Master," he replies; his scent takes on an edge of anger and a touch of nervousness. He's hiding something, and he's hiding it well. "What makes you think a new Master will make any difference?"

I shrug and say, "_Make_ him make a difference." All three of them are giving me a look that says it's not that simple, but somehow, I think it is. I know Kaasan told me _something_ about vampire rites of passage several years ago, but it's a little fuzzy because... um... what were we talking about again?

Seto lets out a soft sigh before steepling his fingers, resting his forehead against them. "I'll ask around tomorrow - tonight and see if anyone knows anything."

"There has to be some kind of rite of succession," Yami says. It's the first thing he's said since we walked in the office and I was starting to think he was trying to become One with the wall or something. "There must be some sort of standardized way of choosing. Otherwise, someone would have seized control by now."

I glance over at Seto to gauge his reaction (Dorobou has this 'what the fuck' expression on his face that would make me laugh if this wasn't a serious matter) and note that he looks mildly stunned. Heh, the Kaiba Seto version of the WTF expression... He recovers quickly and opens up a new document on the laptop and types for a moment. "So we're probably looking for someone the previous Master tapped to be his successor," he says in a tone that I'd call speculative.

Yami nods as he drops down in the chair next to Dorobou. "It might even be someone he turned himself especially for that purpose."

I find myself frowning a bit at that and open my mouth to ask Seto if the new Master might be one of his brothers when Dorobou suddenly stiffens and starts shivering, as if the temperature dropped about a thousand degrees. I subtly scent the air and notice that we've been joined by _something_. The snap of ozone and a subtle familiarity tell me that whoever it is isn't a threat... but it must've gone right through Dorobou the way he's shaking.

When Dorobou starts to curl inward, Yami takes hold of him and gently pushes him back into a normal seated position. His scent is one of worry and concern, and I'm about to ask if Dorobou's okay when Seto decides he's had enough of being polite for one day.

"What the hell's his problem?"

I don't even bother to bite back my growl. "Dorobou can feel spirits," I half-snarl, "ghosts as you'll have it. That's probably what it is." And I think it's hanging somewhere around Seto because that's where the ozone-and-fresh-snow smell is lingering.

"I thought cats were supposed to be able to sense stuff like that."

No shit, Sherlock. And I do, I just don't want to tell you that I think your little brother decided to visit you even though it's five minutes till dawn and he's been dead for a good ten minutes by now. Instead of saying that I respond with, "Well, I'm not a cat right now, am I?"

I notice out of the corner of my eye that not only is Dorobou sitting up normally again but both he and Yami are avidly watching this exchange. As glad as I am that my brother is okay, I resent the fact that I'm the entertainment portion of the meeting.

Seto shrugs. "Tomcats will be tomcats, no matter what form they're in."

...just for the record, I _hate_ when he calls me that. I'd much rather he call me anything else, even idiot or (god forbid) mutt, but tomcat just makes my fur bristle and primes me for a fight. I'm seconds away from launching myself over the desk at him when I remember--

I grin at him, fish my cell phone out of my jacket pocket and flop down on top of the desk. I shake my phone in his face for a moment and purr out, "I've got Ryou on speed-dial."

I ignore the fact that Dorobou and Yami smacked themselves in the face in unison, more interested in the fact that Seto actually _paled_ for a moment when I told him that. Yes, I love the guy, but if I do somehow manage to get involved with, him he's going to have to deal with my family... and Ryou hates the term 'tomcat' even more than I do. The one time Seto called me that at school, Ryou got up in his face and ripped him up one side and down the other. It was pretty damned funny, watching my brother go all rabid-bunny on the guy I like. Ryou apologized for it afterward... well, to _me_ anyway; he still thinks Seto deserved it.

Speaking of Seto, he pushes himself to his feet, holding tight to the desk for support. "As fun as it's been," he says in a 'get the hell out' tone of voice, "it's time for me to retire now. I trust you can show yourselves out?"

Dorobou stands up as well, Yami rising in unison and still hanging on like he thinks Dorobou is going to collapse any second. "Consider us gone. We'll be back tonight and see if you've found out anything."

"You'd better be planning on looking some yourselves," Seto sneers. I'm of half a mind to let him lay where he falls for that one.

"We'll see what can be found out from people who are alive during the day," Yami replies in just as rude a manner. Really, I'm tempted to lock the two of them in a room together and see which one can out-snark the other one of these days.

Dorobou and Yami start out of the office, but I've already decided this is going to be one of my mansion days. I hear Dorobou's footsteps falter, and I glance up to see him looking my way. "Staying, Kitty?"

"A little while," I reply. I'll probably go home after I check security over and make sure no one's hiding in the bushes. Really, vampires are too damned vulnerable during the daylight hours. Hate like hell for Seto to be staked before I can work up the nerve to tell him I think I'm in love with him.

Dorobou nods. "Be careful coming home then."

"Okay." I absently wave as Dorobou and Yami leave, my attention focused on Seto. He's close to collapsing now; hell, he should have been dead a good ten minutes ago. It's amazing he's even on his feet right now... and it's taking every ounce of willpower I have to remain where I am.

It's hard, though. I've been sneaking into this place for three months now, and this is the fifth time I've seen Seto just before his body surrenders to the dawn. He's shaking, eyes unfocused, panting for breath that he doesn't even need, and completely unaware of the world around him. I'm sure he didn't even really notice Dorobou and Yami leave, he was already a few seconds into this state when they pulled the door closed behind them.

I wait until Seto's entire body goes limp before I move, catching him just before he hits the floor. For a moment I simply hold him against me, scenting him before scowling to myself. The ozone snap has faded from the room, which means that Mokuba's and apparently Seto's spirits have left. That's not what's annoying me, though, it's the fact that along with the lingering exhaustion I'm picking up a thread of hunger. Damned idiot skipped a feeding last night, apparently. I swear, one of these days I'm going to be here when he wakes up and demand that he get a keeper or a _pomme de sang_ or something.

I heave a sigh and pick up Seto easily. I'll put him to bed and do a walk-through of the mansion before I leave. It's the least I can do for the guy I love, after all.

* * *

Ah, yes, Jounouchi is crushing on Kaiba. Big shocker there, no? snicker Chapter Six coming soon. 


	6. Chapter 6

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta reader Eternal SailorM. Also the kitties Aya, Biscuit and Mika-chan for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

* * *

I never did make it home. The cleaning service came over not ten minutes before I finished my walk through, so I let them in before finishing my rounds. Since usually a team of fifteen arrives, it only takes a few hours for them to hit the main areas of the mansion. When they left it was close to two o'clock, so I called Ryou to let him know I was okay. And then I curled up on Seto's bed to take a nap.

No, not next to him, though that would have been nice. I stretched out across the foot of the bed--damned thing's big enough that I can lay across it comfortably and _not_ hang off either side.

I'm drawn out of sleep by the mattress shifting beneath me. Usually I ignore things like that but since I'm napping with the undead it's not something I'd expect. I open one eye just enough to peer through my lashes to find Seto staring at me in surprise. Guess it's close to sunset; if I know Seto he's probably beaten it by at least five minutes.

After a moment, he slides off the bed and crosses to the desk, picks up the phone, and dials. I open my eyes completely and grin as I catch sight of the laptop, right on the nightstand where I left it. For some reason, I'm feeling rather devious. Wonder if Yami'd like a pass code...?

"What the hell is your tomcat doing in my bedroom?" Seto demands; I settle back on the bed and close my eyes to peer through my lashes once more. He half-turns my way, looking a little confused as he says, "Look, I just--"

Seto winces and turns towards the desk again. While his back's turned, I move to the laptop and cut it on. I keep one ear on this end of the conversation as I work.

"I'm on speaker phone, aren't I?" Not surprising; for some reason, that's how we answer it most of the time. I hear a soft click before Seto continues with, "Why the fuck is _your_ pet in my bedroom!"

Whoa, was that _jealousy_ when he said 'your'? Maybe I've got a chance after all. Smirking to myself, I open the files to the mansion's security system.

"Oh. He's over there all the time," Ryou's voice comes over the speaker. In the background, I hear Dorobou snickering and roll my eyes, since I'm pretty sure of what's coming.

"You could watch the language, Treeboy, but the phrasing's too good for me to ignore."

"Bakura..."

"Niisan...!"

Aaaand Ryou and Yami speaking in unison is almost as creepy as when the twins do it. Almost.

Dorobou obviously ignores them: "Most 'normal' people do fuck in bedrooms."

Seto sighs, then backtracks. "He what?"

Ryou's the one who answers as I find the program I was looking for: "Jounouchi-kun usually spends the days he's not in school over there."

"How did the three of you even get in this morning?" Seto sounds annoyed. I shake my head and start to enter the codes to add a person into the system.

"Kitty has a pass code," Dorobou says nonchalantly. I snicker softly at the confusion now coming from Seto.

"_I_ never gave him a pass code."

"He hacked your system, with a bit of help from me, and made his own." Heh, yep, my birthday! "Gave me one, too."

"Please tell me _Mutou_ doesn't have one."

"No."

Ha! Does now! I tap in the last bit of code before announcing, "Your pass code's Yuugi's birthday."

Seto turns around so fast that I'm almost afraid he'll knock the desk over. Luckily, he's got that vampire grace thing down and doesn't even bump it. His expression is that 'what the fuck' version of his, and his scent is giving off surprise and confusion. It's very, _very_ hard not to laugh right now.

"Wha--when did _you_ wake up?" he demands, schooling his expression to one of neutral disdain. I'm not fooled; his scent is still confused and now has a little curiosity thrown in.

"When you kicked me," I reply with a shrug before turning my gaze back to the screen. Might as well run a scan while I'm at it...

"Have a good day, Kitty?" Dorobou asks, sounding amused. At almost the same instant Seto demands, "Why didn't you get up, then?"

I answer Dorobou first. "Yeah. Talked to Akiko for a while and made sure no one was hiding on the grounds. And because you're cute when you're confused."

I can hear Dorobou and Yami laughing, Ryou's own snicker slightly muffled, and catch a thread of embarrassment in Seto's scent. If he'd fed recently, he'd be blushing. Which reminds me--

"You guys're coming over soon, ne?"

"Yeah. Want us to bring you something?" I can't help grinning; Dorobou _still_ thinks I'm too skinny and makes sure I eat often.

"Please. Anything rare but not mooing."

"All right. We'll bring over what little we've learned today, too."

"If you are all done wasting time," Seto cuts in, "I need to make some other calls. Be here within the hour; I should have something by then."

"Don't hurt yourself," Yami replied, and I resist the urge to smack my head down on the laptop. I think it _would_ kill them to be nice to one another.

Seto hangs up without even offering a smart remark and turns to glare at me. I ignore the look and shut down the program I was using before glancing up.

"You need a keeper."

Somehow I keep from snickering at the shocked expression on his face. It's just too damn cute, makes me wanna bite him. And for the record, that's a good thing when it comes to me.

"Excuse me!"

"I didn't stutter," I reply as I put the laptop back on the nightstand. "You need a keeper or a _pomme de sang_ or someone to make sure you feed like you're supposed to."

"I feed," he snaps back.

"Once a night, if that," I acknowledge. "All the vamps I know feed twice a night. There's even one in my building that feeds three times in one night."

"I'm not like most vampires."

"I know. You're more aggravating." Heh, Seto actually snarls at me on that one. I can't help but snicker. "But you're bitable so I can forgive one little character flaw."

He stares at me like I've lost what little mind he thinks I have. "I'm... _what_?"

Mmmm... confusion, hope and slight arousal is a good smell on him. I have to do things like this more often! "Bitable," I repeat. "You're kinda sexy in a 'don't fuck with me' way and you smell _really_ good. I like."

Seto looks amused. "So your entire basis for... 'liking' me is the fact that I smell good."

"No." I bite back a grin at the flicker of surprise in his eyes. "I liked you before I was turned. I just like you more now."

"Oh." Cool, I think I rendered him speechless. No one ever said I was subtle. Well, except that one time, but what Dorobou actually said was that I'm about as subtle as a freight train so that doesn't count... does it?

Seto seems to recover quickly, moving towards his closet to get a change of clothes. As nice as it might be to sit and watch him strip down--mmm, mental image, mustn't drool--I stand and walk out into the hall. If I know Seto, he'll try to skip out on feeding, so I figure that I'll make damn sure he gets both 'meals' tonight.

I'm halfway down the hall when I pick up the scent of new-fallen snow. Without even turning around, I say, "Good evening, Mokuba."

"How'd you know I was here?" I turn at the voice and almost snicker at the kid's confuddled expression. Only sixteen and an inch taller than me. Cute as a button, though. All the girl-type (not to mention a few boy-type) vamps'll love him.

"Smelled you," I say with a shrug. He looks and smells more confused so I add, "Were. Name's Jounouchi."

And I fucking _swear_ he lights up like a damned Christmas tree. "Oh, the one Niisama went to school with." He tilts his head to one side, black hair falling in his eyes. "How'd you get in?"

"Gave myself a pass code." Heh, Mokuba looks impressed. Somehow I just _know_ he likes me already. "Been up long?"

"Couple of minutes," he admits. "I was just going to get, um, breakfast."

"Good, then you can show me where you keep the bloodbags. _Someone_ skipped a meal last night."

Forty minutes and one conversation about kitchen disasters later (turns out Seto is responsible for that scorch mark on the kitchen ceiling... who knew?), I find myself once again wondering _why_ I love this pain in the ass.

"Sit your skinny ass down and drink the damn O-positive," I growl out, knowing I'm dangerously close to prying his mouth open and pouring it down his throat.

Seto glares back. "You are neither my mother nor my keeper," he replies; I'm almost proud to note that his infamous control slipped some ten minutes ago, and I'm seeing fang with every word. "Therefore, I'll feed when I feel like it."

"But Niisa_ma_, you've skipped four feedings this week!" Mokuba whines. Have I mentioned that I love this kid? He's been my backup from the second we relocated Seto in his office.

A sigh. "Mokuba, I'll feed when I have time. Right now--"

"Is perfect." I don't give him time to retort, literally pouncing and knocking him back into his chair. I straddle his lap (on a side note, this will fuel about a month's worth of wet dreams) and pin his arms down. "Now drink up, _Seto_, or I'll have Mokuba go get a funnel."

"Hell, _I'll_ get it for you."

If it were possible, Seto would be bright red. Trust Dorobou to walk in on us in this compromising position. I turn my head to see my brother smirking at us and Yami giving Seto the death glare from hell. Mokuba just looks confused.

"Didn't know you were _that_ kinky, Kitty," Dorobou adds, and I'm once more treated to the sight of Yami smacking himself in the face. I roll my eyes; sometimes that's all you can do where Dorobou's concerned.

"Seto's being a stubborn jackass," I say instead. "He apparently thinks he's indestructible."

"Niisama claims he's too busy to feed," Mokuba adds; I'd like to note that at least _one_ Kaiba is sensible enough to drink his meal, since the kid's been doing so this whole time.

Dorobou spares him a glance. "You must be the kid brother," he says after a moment.

"I'm not a kid, I'm sixteen."

"I call my _twin_ a kid," Dorobou shrugs before turning to Seto again. "Let's make a deal. You feed, I'll tell you what I found."

Seto looks mad enough to spit nails, but his curiosity is too strong. After glowering at us all for a minute he snatched the mug from me and downs half of it. I can't help but purr slightly, his scent's already a tad more 'healthy' than it was. Mokuba snickers softly; apparently _he_ trusts his senses and has picked up on my contentment and his brother's aroused frustration. I stand up and lean on the desk, shooting the kid a grin before turning my attention to Dorobou.

"So, you find anything, Treeboy?"

Seto glares at Dorobou but finishes off the mug before replying: "All I've discovered is that half the vampires in this city are idiots."

"I know, I'm in the room with one," Yami grumbles, ignoring it when the glare is turned towards him. I notice that Mokuba has made a strategic retreat. I doubt we'll see him again tonight for some reason.

"What about you, Dorobou?" I ask. "Any luck?"

"All of it bad." I frown slightly until Dorobou adds, "Tokyo."

...fuck fuck fuckity fuck. The twins have told me enough for me to know that _that_ city is synonymous with Hell for them.

"What about Tokyo?" Seto asks, expression neutral. His scent, however, says that he noted Dorobou's... discomfort and is somewhat concerned. Hardass Kaiba Seto? Hardly; now I'm remembering why I love the guy.

"That's where the answer is," Dorobou says. "I hate Tokyo."

"Why?"

"He has his reasons," I reply for him, my tone leaving no room for argument."We going tonight?"

"Yeah. We're wasting a ticket, though. _Someone_"--here he shoots Yami a 'die already' look--"decided that Mini-Me shouldn't come with just in case it gets rough, so that leave you, me and His Highness here."

...who the hell is 'Mini-Me'? I have the feeling I should ask, but maybe _after_ we get back.

"What time does our train leave?"

I know I'm not the only one surprised. Yami looks like someone hit him with a brick, Dorobou just looks annoyed, and I have the feeling that if there was a mirror in here I'd see I'm doing that damned 'confused cat' expression of mine again. It can't help matters that a puzzled miow slips out.

Seto looks at us calmly. "Well?"

After the longest ten minute ride in history (Seto plus Yami in a small enclosed space plus an already annoyed Dorobou equals a _very_ uncomfortable silence), we arrive at the train station with barely a minute to spare. And the only reason we had _that_ much time was because I carried Yami and shoved Seto to get them to move faster since they were fucking _strolling_ to the damn train.

Needless to say, neither Dorobou nor myself are too happy at the moment. He looks like he's ready to kill one or both of the idiots seated across from us; hopefully they can behave themselves long enough for Dorobou to calm down a bit. I lean against him slightly and am contemplating lying down when Yami turns to glare at Seto.

"You're on my side."

"Really? I don't see your name on it."

What the _fuck!_ Are they twenty and eighteen or _five!_ Now Dorobou looks even more pissed off. I quickly move from my seat next to my brother and drop in between the two, shooting each an annoyed glare.

"Shut the fuck up and _maybe_ I won't make this the most miserable hour and a half of your lives," I snarl; and yes, I'm so aggravated that I've got a light layer of fur covering my body. They're just lucky I'm keeping my claws sheathed.

Seto and Yami both fall silent and I notice Dorobou relaxes slightly. Hoping that the matter is settled, I close my eyes and will myself to calm.

The 'peace' lasts for all of two minutes.

"Happy now?" Yami grumbles _across_ me.

"No," Seto sneers in response. "I still have to _smell_ you."

My 'friend' sniffs loudly. "Better than the stench of death _I_ smell," he retorts.

I growl and feel my claws _and_ fangs sharpen. I'm going to kill the pair of them, love 'em or not.

"Kitty, _scoot_." I move half-onto Seto's lap just as Dorobou drops between myself and Yami. I can smell his frustration and discomfort with the whole situation. If I wasn't currently pissed off I'd try to calm him down. Seto starts to say something, only to abruptly shut his mouth when Dorobou pulls out one of his knives (he's got at least three on him at all times) and stabs it into the armrest. Yami has a deer in the headlights expression and keeps glancing between the knife, Dorobou and me, while Seto is sporting his wtf look once more.

"_That_," my brother snarls, "goes through the next one who opens his mouth." He pauses very briefly before continuing, "Kitty gets to eat the other one."

The next hour and twenty-three minutes are thankfully silent.

* * *

Not a happy Werekitty, is he? Chapter Seven coming soon. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Cursed Gold**  
Chapter Seven  
by Katsuko

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta reader Eternal SailorM. Also the kitties Aya, Biscuit and Mika-chan for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

* * *

The second the train comes to a stop I'm off and running. Well, not literally, but I'm _definitely_ putting some distance between myself and the Moron Twins.

"Call my cell," I shoot over my shoulder before hitting the street. Somehow I doubt Dorobou heard me; if that trash can was alive it wouldn't be anymore under that glare. I make it three blocks before I realize I'm being followed. And when I do, I feel like kicking myself.

"Seto, why. The hell. Are you following me?"

"Did you really expect me to stay back there with _him?_" Seto snorts in reply. I growl quietly and continue walking, listening as he falls into step beside me. After a minute he adds, "Besides, I wasn't about to let my kitten wander off alone in this city," under his breath. Heh, probably thinks I'm too pissed to catch that part... either that or he knows a hella lot less about Weres than he thinks he does. Either way, I'm not too sure how I feel about the name 'kitten' but I'll think on _that_ later. Right now, however...

"Dorobou and Yami'll probably hit the university library," I say. "If we could talk to the local Were or vamp communities we might be able to find out a little something. Hell, if we could get a meeting with the Master of Tokyo that would be even better."

Seto nods. "I doubt we'll be able to see the Master but we can still check in with the Were communities." As he's talking, I pick up on a scent approaching us. Something about it sets off my fight-or-flight reflex and I find my claws lengthening. Seto's still speaking: "I have a few contacts here that might--"

"Kaiba Seto." It's not a question, and before I realize what I'm doing I've placed myself between Seto and the Were who'd spoken. Tiger from the scent, and stocky. He glances at me, confusion lighting his gaze for a moment before he realizes what I am; then the expression becomes more cautious. Good, he knows I'm dangerous.

"Who wants to know?" I hiss, my own eyes narrowing. I barely feel Seto's hand on the small f my back, some mild attempt to keep my temper in check possibly.

The Weretiger chooses to err on the side of caution and takes a step backward. "Kajiki Ryouta. My Master wishes a word with Kaiba-sama."

"For what reason?" Seto asks, his tone cold and eyes sharp. He's a suspicious bastard, yes, but right now I don't blame him. A car has pulled up next to where the three of us are standing, and I can scent three more Weres inside. I do _not_ like this one bit and a low growl escapes me. Kajiki's eyes narrow as he shoots a quick look towards the car.

"Protocol," Kajiki replies. He's still glowering as the car door opens and one of the Weres steps out and makes the biggest mistake of his life--taking hold of Seto and trying to drag him to the car.

When I surface to consciousness once again, I realize two things: one, we aren't on the street anymore and two, I ache all over. Apparently I full-shifted when that tiger grabbed hold of Seto. All I want to know is who kicked whose ass, because I feel like I did the night I took on Hirutani... only more stiff and sore. Bet Kajiki and the other two got me from behind, four on one ain't fair.

After a minute or two I register fingers running through my hair and two hearts beating nearby. I open my senses and catch Yami and Dorobou's scents from the vicinity of the heartbeats. Seto's scent is strongest of the three, as I realize my head is on his shoulder. I slowly open my eyes, absently noting that I've lost my clothes and Seto's coat is wrapped around me.

"Jounouchi?" I lift my head just enough to meet worried blue eyes. "You've been out for a while, ki--tomcat. You all right?"

I take a moment to think and mentally curse. It's two days till the full moon and I shifted to leopard form. If I hadn't gotten into the fight I _might_ be fine, but it's hell trying to turn back this close to a full moon. My vocal chords still think I'm in leopard form for at _least_ an hour at this time of the month. Still, I managed to reply after a fashion, mewing quietly.

"Take that as a 'no,'" Dorobou offers from the other side of the room. I turn to look at him, catching the faint smell of blood as I do. He doesn't appear to be injured to that extent, although from his eyes I'd say he was knocked out for a little while. Yami, on the other hand, is doing a damned good job of keeping Dorobou's attention off him, so I'm guessing that the blood I smell is his.

And that's probably why Seto and I are over here instead of closer to the bed.

"Why can't he speak?" Seto directs the question to Dorobou although he's looking at me still. I lift a hand to my throat self-consciously, fingers meeting leather and metal. A quick glance confirms that Yami's collar is no longer around his neck. I mewl Dorobou's name and a thank you; he nods shortly before answering Seto.

"Full moon is two days away. It's taxing on Weres to shift and shift back again this close. Kitty'll be fine in a little while, but for now I'll play interpreter... maybe, if you're lucky."

Seto shoots Dorobou a glare that says he's far from amused. I make an attempt to diffuse his temper, giving a questioning meow and nesting my head against his neck. Luckily it works, Seto's attention snapping back to me and a faint hint of curiosity in his scent. It seems that for all he _thinks_ he knows about me there are still a few mysteries.

"Hmph. Well, I know of at least two Weres who aren't going to have that problem anymore," Seto grounds out after a moment. I wonder if he realizes that he's still petting me...?

Dorobou _has_ noticed if his slightly amused expression is any indication, but it's Yami who asks the question I can't yet voice: "What do you mean, Kaiba?"

"Four Weretigers tried to grab us," Seto replies, "literally. Jounouchi snapped the first one in half and tore a few limbs off another. The second one attacked him from behind." He snarls then, fangs flashing, and suddenly I'm very glad he's on our side. "That is cowardice, and I will not tolerate it. Suffice it to say, I doubt I'll need to feed again tonight."

If Yami or Dorobou reply I completely miss it. All I'm aware of is the fact that Seto drained a Were, and the only reason is because he attacked me from behind. This is bad news on _several_ levels. One, by law Seto committed murder. Weres can do anything to each other, but vamps aren't supposed to get involved, _period_. I don't know if even _his_ influence can keep him outta trouble for that. Two, I know _my_ reasons for acting on instinct were exactly that--instinct. Seto most likely acted on principle of logic. Third--and far worse I believe--is that most Wereleopards don't actually _choose_ who they take as a mate; it's more like we're claimed through blood and battle. And my instincts are now screaming at me that so far as they're concerned, Kaiba Seto pretty much _owns_ me now.

And I thought this was gonna be a boring day.

The sound of a key in the lock finally draws my attention and I snap my gaze to the door as it opens. At the same time Seto's protective (!) grasp tightens and his eyes narrow to slits. I hiss loudly as Kajiki peers in almost hesitantly. Hmph, see all _his_ limbs are still attached. Pity.

The other Were is at least smart enough to keep away from me, shrinking back for a moment before speaking: "The Massster wishesss to extend hisss apologies forrr the trrrrouble we may have causssed you."

Hmph, _I_ sound way cuter at the moment; leopards _are_ a smaller breed of the big cats, y'know, and we _are_ capable of the more 'housecat-ish' sounds than the others. Seto continues glaring coldly at him and I growl low in my throat. Apology _so_ not accepted, it was _four on one!_

Seto opens his mouth to say something, but whatever he was about to say is lost as a larger Were--not sure what species, but he's not feline--shoves Kajiki aside and strides into the room. He has this whole "I'm better than you" vibe that has me on edge. The strange Were storms past me and Seto, stopping on Yami's side of the bed.

"That Master wants to see them _now_," he growls (wolf, has to be, they think they're the best there is at any-and-everything), grabbing Yami's arm and yanking him to his feet. The smell of blood becomes that much stronger and my friend stumbles, a soft sound of pain escaping him.

I notice Dorobou's scent shifting, anger overpowering the annoyance that's been hovering about him since we arrived in Tokyo, and that's all the warning I have before the overwhelming heat-smell of electricity fills the air. All I can do is whimper as the small room is suddenly crowded by angry ghosts, because that _is_ what they are. Visible, tangible, and very, _very_ angry.

"The fucking _hell!_" Seto hisses out under his breath, somehow managing to place himself between me and the Angry Ones without getting up from the chair. I can't really see anything past him but I don't think I'm ever going to forget the sound of flesh and bone separating from the still-screaming wolf, of flesh hitting the walls like so much meat, nor the smell of blood and heat and electricity and rage and fear, Seto's and Yami's and Ryouta's and that human in the hall's and holy fuck I can smell my _own_ fear and Dorobou is a wall of anger and I'm mentally babbling but if I stop I might scream and draw his/their attention to me.

Then Yami pushes his fear under concern and calls to him: "Kura?" Dorobou looks at him blankly, and the Angry Ones seem to falter for a moment. Yami carefully steps around--_some_thing, I have no idea which part of the wolf that _used_ to be--moving closer to my brother. I slide from behind Seto, watching for any sign of the thief I know yet still getting the blankness and wall of not-Dorobou. Then Yami's close enough and he reaches out, touching Dorobou's face gently with both hands.

"Wake up, Kura."

Just like that the Angry Ones vanish, not even a hint of electricity left in the air. Dorobou looks a little confused, but even before he speaks I know he's alone in his head again. "...Yami?"

Okay, I do love Seto, but neither he nor Ryouta _nor_ that guy in the hall needed to sigh in relief _that_ damn loud. If my voice was back I'd chew out the lot of them; as it is I resort to growling my displeasure. Seto turns to give me a look and I take the opportunity to shove him out of the chair. So what if he owns me, it's not like I'm made of glass and will break if he let's me get up.

"Yeah, it's me," I hear Yami say as I stand, testing my legs and pleased to find that they're not damaged or anything. Wha--oh my god, Yami's _petting_ Dorobou. That's so... well, cute. "Are you all right? Are you... you again?"

"What are you doing!" Seto hisses in my ear. Hmm... ignore him? Yeah, ignore him. I focus on my brother instead, he still looks drained.

"Mostly, I think," Dorobou replies to Yami's question. "My head still feels a little muddled, but not as bad."

Yami nods and says, "Good" right about the time the guy from the hall says, "Eww." I glance over in time to see him jump over a clump of wolf before straightening up somewhat and brushing nonexistent dust off his sleeves. He's just a human, no power to speak of, but he's not _that_ put off by what just happened.

Seto moves up behind me, one hand resting on the small of my back; I'm honestly not sure whether to be pleased with the attention or (somehow) ask him to back off for the moment. Instinct once again makes the decision for me and I lean into the touch. It surprises him for a moment before he puts that non-expression on once more. He might be fooling the human and Yami, _maybe_ Dorobou, but any other vamp or Were can smell the truth: contentment, affection, a stab of arousal and possessiveness that the Weres back in Domino can probably pick up on right now.

"I should smack you for that." I glance over to see Dorobou knotting the makeshift bandage he's apparently fashioned out of bedsheets during our mini-showdown. An amused mew escapes me and Yami suddenly flushes three shades of red. I'm impressed for the sole reason that he almost matches his hair. Dorobou seems bemused at having all our attention on him once again.

The old guy clear his throat, drawing our attention once more. "If you're done, um, conjuring up the local ghosts, the Master would like to speak with you," he manages after a moment. Another few seconds go by then he adds, "Just please don't kill anyone else."

Erm, okay, but Dorobou wasn't _really_ responsible... well, maybe he was by proxy but still! See, this is why ghosts and shit freak me out. Vamps, Weres, spirits that are nonviolent, those I can deal with. Ghosts and zombies and anything _else_ associated with violent ends, _hell_ no.

Dorobou has _that_ look, the one that says 'I _so_ need to fuck with your head right now' so I'm not surprised by what comes out of his mouth: "I'll try, but if I do kill anyone"--and _there's_ the smirk--"you'll be the first to know." For whatever reason he grabs Yami's hand and brushes past the old dude (who, by the by, looks a little green). Dorobou chooses that moment to add, "I think you have some brains on your back."

The guy spews like a can of beer and I cover my mouth and nose to block out the smell as best I can. Seto sneers at him in disdain before apparently deciding that I shouldn't walk around this place barefoot and picks me up. Damn he's strong; wonder if he carried me when we got grabbed...?

Ryo--I mean, _Kajiki_ gives the four of us a look I can only interpret as 'people/vamps/Weres from Domino are fucking scary' before speaking: "Um, well, I'll just take you on in to see him now." Hmph, no sign of a hiss, but on the plus side I should be able to articulate actual words soon. Still I hiss at the bastard out of principle. Did I mention that four on one isn't fair?

"Lead the way," Dorobou says, a hint of annoyance in his tone. I can only assume that Yami is making him behave somehow. They really _are_ cute together, even if the par of them are fumbling through their mutual attraction like they're in the dark sans flashlights. Kajiki doesn't say anything, just gives a half-nod and walks ahead of us. Seto hangs back a little and I take a moment to study his face.

Brrr... if I didn't have my Were senses to rely on, I'd believe him as cold and unfeeling as the gossip-mongers at school and the press make him out to be. Seto's like a statue, cold and hard and unfeeling, at least on the surface. The truth is in his eyes if you can get close enough to look, in his scent if your senses are enhanced enough to pick up on it. He is a mystery wrapped in an enigma and neatly tied together with secrets.

Never let it be said that I, Jounouchi Katsuya, don't love a challenge.

Before I know it we've reached our destination, if the annoyed voice coming from behind the door is any indication. The wood is thick so I can barely make out something about provoking an unfamiliar Were--_got_ to be talking about me--and a hope that the limbs grow back crooked. Either the Master of Tokyo is a hard ass or he has a _really_ twisted sense of humor.

A door off to the side opens and a smallish Weretiger slips out of the room pushing a shopping cart with another Tiger in it. I recognize him as one of the jerks who jumped me and growl at him. Dorobou immediately picks up on my annoyed vibe and opts to be his lovable self.

"Defective Were, aisle three." He says it _just_ loud enough for the human ear to pick up and earns a smack from Yami. But I don't think he's in any real trouble since Yami's snickering at the moment. I see Seto's mouth quirk into an amused smirk for a second before he regains his control. I offer another low growl and bare my teeth; the Tiger pushing the cart whimpers and rushes away.

The old guy goes to hold the door for us, quickly regaining his own composure: "The Master of Tokyo will see you now."

Well, no shit, dumbass. I'm not the brightest crayon in the box but I'm no dumb blond either. Seto gives him a look that says just how highly he ranks the guy's intelligence--hmm, somewhere around peat moss, apparently--before we follow Dorobou and Yami.

My brother gets off one last parting shot, though. "Thanks a lot, Alfred." I snicker at my ma--I mean! Seto's expression; guess he's not a Batman fan. "And... you missed a spot."

...now the old dude kinda _looks_ like peat moss, too. Dorobou looks proud of himself.

Next think I know Set bumps into my brother, who has frozen in his tracks. I mewl questioningly and glance up to see what's stopped us short.

"Welcome back to Tokyo. How have you been, Bakura-boy?"

And suddenly I realize where I've seen the Master of Tokyo before... on the fucking gaming network.

...well... Dorobou's always said it best: Pegasus J. Crawford is a freaky, freaky man.

* * *

Who saw _that_ coming? Only one more real chapter to go and then the epilogue!

Chapter Six  
Chapter Eight


	8. Chapter 8

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta reader Eternal SailorM. Also the kitties Aya, Biscuit and Mika-chan for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

--- 

"You? _You're_ the Master of Tokyo?" Seto sounds, looks and smells just plain confused. Hell, I think all four of us look like the poster children for complete and total confusion!

"I've beaten you at Duel Monsters how many times?" comes from Yami and I just _have_ to roll my eyes. Dorobou whacks him on the back of the head (I can only assume that it's for being a game-obsessed moron), receiving a glare for his troubles. "Already injured here, Kura."

"Obviously not enough," Dorobou replies quickly.

I can only meow my confusion. A direct translation would be: "You run Industrial Illusions. You're the Master of Tokyo. How the fuck does _that_ work!" Seto, however, does not (yet) speak feline and looks at my brother. "What'd he say?"

"I could give you the direct translation, but it boils down to 'the fuck?' Really," Dorobou adds, "you need to be learning these things."

Seto gives him a look that would cut glass and I growl softly before pinching his arm pretty damn hard. Hey, I've got claws most of the time but at the moment I'm too drained to extend them. Pinching gets someone's attention and displays annoyance just as well, thank you. The glare is turned onto me but I've learned to ignore that sort of thing. Besides, I'm still ignoring him. Really.

Luckily for all of us Dorobou cuts to the heart of the matter: "Since when are you Master of Tokyo, Pegasus?"

Pegasus blinks, his scent betraying confusion for all of a microsecond, then gives us some kind of smirky-smile that I instantly dislike. "But, Bakura-boy"--I manage to _not_ growl--"I've been Master of Tokyo longer than you've been alive." What the--? I shoot a quick look to Dorobou, who looks shell shocked. I mean, Dorobou knows everything there _is_ to know about his 'clients'. I'm sure he knew Freak Job here is _a_ master vamp--guess that explains all the tigers but not why _they're_ looking at me the way they are; they look almost like they expect me to start tearing into them at any moment. Which would be a neat trick considering I'm not one hundred percent sure if my legs can support me right now. Oop, Freak's talking again: "Besides, when you and Ryou-boy"--no growl again, but it's twitching in my throat--"vanished, it seemed like time to start cracking down."

Dorobou still looks collected, but his scent holds traces of worry and fear. "..._He's_ not still working for you... is he?"

Who--_oh_. _Him_. I almost hope the answer is yes, along with permission for me to tear the fucker in half and a photograph so I don't get the wrong guy. I don't know the whole story, but I know enough to want to protect my family.

Pegasus' eyes soften a bit, almost affectionately. I have a second to wonder if Freak Boy thinks of Dorobou as family, too, before he answers, "I said I'd been cracking down, didn't I?" My brother breathes a sigh of relief and visibly relaxes a bit.

"Kura?" It's Yami, sounding curious and concerned. He smells of pain though, and I make a questioning sound. My voice isn't back enough for me to speak just yet but at least I sound less, well, cat. Kajiki is still close enough to both hear and catch my question, and he turns to face Pegasus.

"Master...?"

The older vampire frowns just a fraction. "Where _are_ my manners tonight? Please, sit," he says, gesturing to the two chairs in front of his desk. In all honesty, I'm reminded a bit of Seto's home office... but this is a bit more cozy. And who is the woman standing beside him? Her scent is confusing; she smells of power but there's more that I can't quite place. She's not a _pomme de sange_, I know that much at least... and yet her presence puts me at ease.

Dorobou guides Yami to one of the chairs and pushes him down--Yami's flustered again, if he's not careful he's going to turn red permanently. "Kura, what--"

"You're injured," Dorobou cuts in. "Sit down and rest, Pharaoh."

My friend blinks, then blinks again. "'Pharaoh'?"

"Pharaoh." This time it's accompanied by a nod. I snicker softly, looks like Yami's got a permanent nickname.

I expect Dorobou to take the other chair, so I'm surprised when Seto drops me down into the remaining seat. I mew a 'what the hell!' but as I said, he doesn't speak feline. Rather than attempt to decipher what I said or ask Dorobou, he smoothes out the jacket as if making sure my nonexistent modesty is intact, fingers the collar for a second then copies Dorobou's move and slips behind the chair I'm seated in.

My brother looks amused for a fraction of a second before getting down to business again: "Now, question two: why the fuck did you kidnap us?"

Oh for--! Freakazoid has the gall to look offended. "I'm going to let you go so it's not _really_ kidnapping," he says, and I notice Yami tensing out of the corner of my eye. Pegasus obviously notices as well if the sudden change in his scent means anything: a faint note of concern, sorrow and pity. I doubt Dorobou knows the reason, and it's not my place to say; the urge to go give my friend a hug is strong but I stay seated. It's been too long, and Yami never liked being pitied.

Pegasus continues with, "I think it'd be rather gauche after Yami-boy's last experience with it."

"Master of Tokyo or not, you're an ass." It takes me a second to realize that came out of _my_ mouth. The jerk just looks amused by my comment. I ignore him and turn a glare on Kajiki. "Four on one!" He actually looks embarrassed; good. Cheater.

"I'm sorry!"

"_Sure_ you are," I find myself snarling back. Shit, not good, my mind set is still slightly feral, and from the way all the other Weres in the room are shrinking back they know it too.

"I _am_," Kajiki insists, moving back half a step. "When I realized, I tried to stop Amelda. That's the only reason he didn't end up like Yashida."

Realized _what_? I wish I knew what the fuck he was whinging about, he's just pissing me off right now. I'm three seconds from shifting again when a hand clamps down on my shoulder.

"Quiet, kitten. He's telling the truth. Don't spill blood here."

For some reason Seto's voice calms my nerves and I relax, giving Kajiki one final glare. Okay, I'll let this drop... for now. But if Kajiki Ryouta ever shows his face in Domino, he'd better watch his back. I won't forgive, and I will _never_ forget.

I tune back into the conversation in time to hear Dorobou prompt, "You didn't answer my question, Pegasus. Why did you grab us? And why did it have to involve jumping Kitty"--yeah, I'm wondering that myself, and wow, Dorobou's pissed if the gradually increasing volume is any indication--"_shooting_ Pharaoh here, and clubbing me over the head!" He's... not happy is actually an understatement. I'd rank him at 'take-no-prisoners-pissed-off'.

Pegasus might hurt himself if he frowns any harder. "Believe me, Bakura-boy," and I am _really_ starting to hate the way he draws _that_ word out, "all I said was 'I need to see them'. It was not my intention that anyone be hurt."

"So all this happened because your people are a bit... overzealous?" Seto asks in a voice so cold I can almost feel the temperature of the room drop. It's damn near sub-Arctic. However, it has no effect _what_soever on Freaky.

"I'm afraid so, Kaiba-boy." I can feel a growl building but manage to bite it back. Peggy's pouting now; would it be _terribly_ rude to roll my eyes? "The lease you could have done was call first, instead of just barging in like you own the place. This isn't Domino City after all." Mew? "Then we could have avoided this entirely."

I think my feline grace and Seto's vamp reflexes are all that keep me from whacking him in the face, my hand shoots up in the air so fast. "Question: the hell?"

Apparently Yami and I are on the same wavelength: "I thought only Master vampires had to announce themselves. No way Kaiba's a master; he was only turned two years ago." Yeah, that was about two or three months after I took up permanent residence with Dorobou and Ryou. It was also around then that I realized my 'little' crush on him _wasn't_ going away. Not that it really matters... what are we talking about again? My attention snaps back to the matter at hand.

"Nevertheless, he _is_ a master." Oh, cool, I didn't miss too much. Pegasus continues, "Now, why don't you ask him what happened to the previous Master of the City?"

...oh _hell_ no. My hunches aren't always right, which is why I never voiced my suspicions. I hear myself ask, "What're you driving at?" Maybe I'm hoping I was wrong this time, too.

Pegasus is silent for a long moment, and I can feel Seto's hand tighten on my shoulder. Hurts like a bitch, but I'm not going to say a word. Finally Mr. Master of Tokyo says, "Whoever kills the previous Master becomes the new Master."

Seto's voice is completely void of emotion: "He turned my little brother. I don't care what happens to me, but no one touches Mokuba." I can't even tell from his scent what he's really feeling right now; it's a blend of fear, anger, protectiveness, acceptance and control.

Yami's speaking again. "Doesn't he have to have an animal to call?" Okay, did he memorize a _textbook_ sometime while I was out cold?

"What is sitting before him?" I blink, then blink twice quickly. The fuck? Seto's grip tightens again for a second before relaxing. I guess he noticed me flinch on that last one, he's hella strong.

"How can he call leopards?" Dorobou demands. I'm curious about _that_ myself. "There's only one pard in all of Japan."

The blonde woman finally speaks: "And yet there _are_ Wereleopards in Japan." My brother smells a bit startled; didn't he see--oh. _Now_ I recognize the 'taste' of magick in her scent. How'd I miss _that_? I'm from a family line of witches! The woman offers a small smile. "Welcome back to Tokyo, Bakura."

"I intend to make it a short visit," Dorobou replies dryly. "So if Treeboy here is the new Master of Domino, why did you grab the rest of us?"

I sigh mentally as Pegasus perks up. _Here_ we go...

"Well, your Wereleopard wasn't going anywhere without Kaiba-boy."

_That's it._ I don't even _try_ to stop myself this time, and the growl I let out has the tigers shrinking back into the various shadows. Pegasus doesn't even blink; hell, he looks _and_ smells amused. I want to bite him, but that might not be my smartest move. I'm still growling low in my throat when he continues, "And _Kaiba_ wasn't going anywhere without your cat."

"And Pharaoh-boy and me?" Dorobou prompts. He still sounds annoyed.

The witch lady (Kaasan drill that into my head--witches are ladies until they give you a reason to hate them) moves behind Pegasus' chair and mirrors my brother and Seto. "That was my doing, I'm afraid," she says. "I felt you two enter the city. Your power has grown in your absence, Bakura."

I frown to myself. Dorobou I can understand a witch sensing, but Yami...? I turn my gaze fully onto her. "Two? I don't understand, Lady." I hope she doesn't think my questioning her is rude; Kaasan would skin me alive if one of the covens told her I'd been impolite to one of their Ladies.

The Lady blinks, realization entering her scent (and even Pegasus has a faint hint of the same in his); the Were overpowers the traces of magick in my blood so no one knows I'm of a witch line unless I say something.

After a second she speaks again: "I suppose it's not really my place to say if you don't already know. I _can_ say his powers," she nods at Yami, "compliment your own."

Holy fuck, Dorobou is radiating anger, and I can _just_ hear him hiss, "We have a lot to talk about later, Mutou," to Yami. I know that tone, and I have to pity the hell outta my sorta-former-best-friend. I shrink away from the pair of them and find myself leaning into Seto again. He squeezes my shoulder, almost as if agreeing with my assessment that Yami is in Deep Shit, and leans down a bit. I'm a little startled by what he says in light of, oh, everything else going on tonight.

"You're exhausted, I can smell it on you. Will you be all right for the trip home?" He speaks so low that I don't think even Pegasus can pick up on it. The only reason I do is because his mouth is right by my ear. I manage a tiny nod and shift slightly; in a heartbeat he's upright again and acting as if he didn't just show concern towards someone not related to him by blood.

If it was my call at the moment, Dorobou would be in this chair instead of where he is. I'm _very_ tempted to make the offer. More so when he seems to become angrier. I am _so_ cuddling him on the trip back to Domino, Seto and Yami be damned.

Dorobou gives Pegasus the 'I eat babies' glare. "If you're done playing show-and-tell, Crawford"--cuddles _and_ his favourite food--"can we go now? I'm sure Kaiba"--_and_ I'll get Ryou to unplug the phone and disconnect the doorbell--"has a lot to do with what's left of the night."

Why is it that Pegasus is so cool and collected? Even his Lady is shifting nervously in the face of Dorobou's rage but he's still as calm as he was when we walked in.

"Oh, of course, Bakura!" At least he's smart enough to drop the damn 'boy' this time... "Do you have a preference on how to return? Oh!" The fuck...? I'm starting to think Pegasus J. Crawford rode the short bus to school... "The helicopter's gassed up. Will that be all right?"

"Whatever," Dorobou grounds out. "I don't care. Just get me the fuck out of Tokyo."

"So long as it's fast," I add, rising abruptly. I cross to Dorobou and lay my head on his shoulder, ignoring Seto's confused expression. My brother needs my attention more than my mate does at the moment, and not even Yami's jealousy--it's rolling off him in waves right now--is going to run me off.

"And I want my knives back." I bite back a chuckle as both Seto and Yami's scents take on a nervous tinge. If either of them acts the fool on the trip home I'll hold them still for Dorobou.

The Lady answers. "Of course. I wish you all a safe journey home. Goddess go with you."

"May She smile upon you as well," I reply. Hey, I can be brash at times but one is not rude to a Lady when she blesses your journey.

Dorobou adds, "Thank you, Cynthia." Mrr? Wonder if she's the same Cynthia whom Kaasan said formed half the covens in Japan today? Hey, anything's possible, even if it _does_ mean that Lady's over one hundred years old. And Kaasan always told me never ask _any_ lady her age, it's incredibly rude!

Seto smells jealous, and I shoot him a quick look that speaks volumes. In less than a second I manage to say, "I love you, I _am_ yours whether you know it or not, but my family comes first and my brother needs me right now" without uttering a word. My vampire isn't the CEO of Kaiba Corp by inheritance alone; he nods shortly as the jealousy recedes then turns his gaze to Pegasus. "Ignorance is no excuse for impoliteness," he says coolly. "I apologize for any... inconvenience our presence has caused. You," Seto emphasis the word slightly, "are always welcome in Domino."

The freaky man smile-smirks. "Even so, I'll call ahead of time." Wow, even Yami looks annoyed with that answer. Lady Cynthia sighs quietly, as if that's better than what she expected him to say, and I decide that she's most likely the power behind the throne so to speak. "Your ride is waiting, and like you said, Bakura, Kaiba has much to do."

"I know the way." Dorobou practically manhandles Yami out of the chair and begins to drag him towards the door. It doesn't look like his grip is too tight, but Dorobou's control is tenuous at the moment. I fall in step right behind them, Seto at my back. Yami loses his footing once, Dorobou quickly shifting to take most of their weight. Before too long my brother is climbing into the helicopter after, um, seating Yami. I start to follow, every nerve in my body suddenly freezing as Seto's hand finds its way into one of the coat pockets. I hope to the Goddess that my face isn't red; it's bad enough that I'm still tired from shifting, I _really_ don't need to pass out because Seto decided to act like... well, me!

I relax--barely--when he steps back, cell phone in hand. I feel... okay, kinda stupid. But at least I wasn't the only one to jump to conclusions if Dorobou's sigh of relief means anything. The second all of us are inside one of the Weres hands my brother all his knives and closes the door behind us.

I think I wait all of two seconds before settling on the floor and dropping my head into Dorobou's lap. I register Seto speaking and realize that he's slipped into business-mode. I start up a low purr when my brother begins petting me and allow my body to relax a bit more. The renewed smell of blood hits me and I reach for the first-aide kit under Seto's seat; my vampire is strong-willed, he's noticed the scent but is still making arrangements. I pass the kit up to Dorobou, absently taking in the one-sided conversation. I guess Dorobou will take Yami home and I'll stick close to Seto. For right now, though, I plan to be only semi-conscious.

--- 

One more chapter to go then the epilogue. And I really, _really_ suggest you read Color of Life Chapter Eight before reading Chapter Nine here!


	9. Chapter 9

**Cursed Gold**  
Chapter Nine  
by Katsuko

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta reader Eternal SailorM. Also the kitties Aya, Biscuit and Mika-chan for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

* * *

The remainder of the night, or rather dark part of the morning, passes in a blur. I managed to catch a nap on the ride back into Domino, get shaken awake by Dorobou so I wouldn't get left on the helicopter, doze off in the car on the way to Kaiba Corp, woke up by Seto to tell me I could stay in said car, snapped off a 'lemme sleep asshole', then proceeded to fully pass out.

When I wake up next, the sun is just sinking below the horizon. And since I know that the windows in Seto's room all face west, it's safe to assume that I've been asleep for almost fifteen hours... or thirty-nine or more. Full moons leave me wasted and damn near useless for a day or so.

"I see you're finally awake." It takes me a few seconds to place where the voice is coming from; then I half-roll to my left and blink lazily at Seto. Damn him for looking so good after waking up. He's propped up against the headboard, an open book in one hand and what appear to be reading glasses in the other. Bet anything they're plain glass now, it must be habit for him to wear them since I recall him wearing them a couple years ago. He's shirtless (don't drool, Katsuya!) and clad only in a pair of silk pajama bottoms. Heh, blue, _what_ a surprise. Seto smirks a bit; guess he noticed my observation.

"Mrr, how long?" I ask, pulling myself up to settle against the headboard next to him.

"You fell asleep in the car yesterday morning." Another smirk, apparently my expression is 'confused cat' again, that or 'oh shit'. It's been a while since I've been this drained.

I shake my head a bit to clear it, raising one hand to brush my hair out of my face. It takes me a second or two to register that I'm not wearing Seto's jacket anymore. I think I just found out where Seto's pajama top got to, I just wanna know when he had time to get me semi-dressed before daylight got to him. Hmm, well, guess he must have done that last night then.

Wait a minute, something's missing. My hand flies up to my throat and my fingers meet bare skin for a fraction of a second before Seto grasps my wrist, gently pulling my hand away.

"I had Mutou's collar sent back to him last night," he says by way of explanation. "And I had a rather interesting yet fairly uninformative conversation with Bakura." Oh fuck. Please don't ask about the scar, don't ask about that night, because I don't think I could look you in the eye and lie about it. "From what I know about your blood line and what I've learned about _you_ recently, I can't figure out _why_ you were in the warehouse district on the night of a full moon three years ago."

Fuck. Not a question but it may as well have been one. "I didn't give a damn anymore."

"What?" Confusion, but just a trace. I think his chat with Dorobou got him thinking back.

"Did I stutter?" I reply, gaze locked on my hands. "I. Didn't. Care. The police kept it quiet, but you saw the video feed."

"I thought only Industrial Illusions, Kame Games and Kaiba Corp brass received the feed," Seto says quietly.

"Yeah, well, I sure as hell wasn't in Tokyo that day and you know I wasn't at Kaiba Corp." I laugh a bit; it's a bitter sound and harsh to my own ears. What must it sound like to my vampire? "Jiichan still doesn't know I was there. Oyaji and Kaasan went to see if there was anything they could do to help; I was supposed to stay home with Shizuka. But I wanted to go, so I swore Imouto to secrecy and followed."

"Jounouchi..." His voice is soft, I don't need my other senses to know he wants to reach out to me but won't just yet. I tug at the cuff of my (Seto's? whichever) sleeve before continuing.

"After Yuugi was killed, I stopped hanging out with Yami. He wasn't convinced that his brother was dead, and I couldn't pretend nothing had changed. I stopped listening to Kaasan. I stopped going to school. I stopped eating. Hell, I stopped caring, period.

"I started spending school hours and evenings in the bad parts of town. Dangerous? Fuck yeah, but like I said, I didn't _care_. I was _hoping_ something would come along and kill me so I could maybe see my best friend again."

I fall silent, shutting my eyes and turning away. This time I feel the bed shift beneath me; he's moved but I can't tell if it's closer to or further from. Fuck, this is hell. My own personal variation of hell, and it's of my own making.

"I got lucky. Or unlucky, I suppose. You want the Reader's Digest condensed version or all the gory details?" I slit my eyelids and glance towards Seto. Oh; closer to. Surprise, surprise.

He doesn't answer for a moment. "The thief said you don't remember," my vampire finally says. "That you only know what the doctors told you and your family."

"Good, then my brothers and family can _keep_ thinking that."

"Jounouchi--"

"It started coming back a year ago." My voice is barely a whisper, but I know he can hear me, no question. "Just... words and phrases at first, not enough to set me off but just enough to unsettle me. Then images without sound, and blood, and phantom pains..." I trail off, my fingers brushing over my scarred neck. "Wolves and rats are lucky. A scratch or a nip, poof, 'nother Were in the world. Cats... we are fucked from the get-go."

"What do you mean?"

"You know shit about Weres," I snap. "Feline DNA is picky. A victim has to have one foot in the grave before it'll infect him, and the turning just might finish him off. _That's_ why tiger pards are so small. _That's_ why there is only one leopard pard in Japan. _That_ is why we _all_ bear scars and no other species does.

"You want the condensed version, or the details?"

Seto is silent. I'm about to get up and leave when he finally answers me: "Whichever is easiest for you, kitten."

I have to laugh again. "Easiest. _Is_ there an easy way to tell your mate, your crush since second year junior high, that you wandered down the wrong back alley on the wrong night hoping to find solace from the entire _fucking_ world and instead was attacked, raped, torn apart, infected and left for dead by the bastard who licked his 'father's' boots?" I don't even look at him. "If there is an easy way to say that, by all means someone tell me how."

I only realize that I was thinking aloud when Seto growls quietly and I suddenly find myself in his lap, his arms wrapped possessively around me. I rest my hands on his shoulders, fully intending to push him away when an odd scent strikes me. Scenting the air again, any fight I may have had left flees me. Mingled in with my vampire's usual mint and cocoa scent is the faintest trace of salt water. I'm glad someone can still cry for me; my own dried up three years ago and have yet to return.

"I. Am going. To kill Hirutani," Seto snarls softly, voice somewhat thick with rage towards my former Nimir Raj and sadness for the hell I went through. I rest my cheek against his, feeling the wetness of his face against mine for a moment before murmuring a negative reply to his words. "Why not? The bastard--"

"Is _mine_, Seto," I hiss softly. The feline side is asserting itself a bit, the moon is still affecting me and I'll be more leopard that human for some time yet. "I broke from him two years ago, served up to him what he'd forced on me for months. If he intrudes on _my_ territory, comes too close to _my_ family, I will kill him. I do not want you to even so much as think of him, Seto. You shouldn't waste the effort on him."

He's quiet for a long time, long enough for his tears to dry and for their scent to fade, holding me tight to him and petting my hair. Finally he nods slowly. "All right, Katsuya, but only because you've asked it of me."

"Thank you." I close my eyes and relax against him. I thought I would be okay but I feel like this evening has sapped me of whatever strength had returned with my slumber. A soft laugh escapes me and Seto's hold tightens a bit.

"What?"

"That's the first time you've called me by my given name," I say lazily, lifting my head and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth before he can apologize for what he may see as a liberty taken without permission. "I like how my name sounds on your voice. Almost like you care." I'm teasing a bit now, but I'm also digging. Why did he bring me to his home instead of having me returned to the apartment or even to Yami's? I hope it means what I think it does, but I've learned not to jump to conclusions.

There's a flash of something in his eyes before he answers. "I _do _care, kitten. More than I probably should."

I can't help but purr; even if he didn't say it I can smell the truth on him. "I love you, too."

* * *

Chapter Nine is over and done. All that remains is the Epilogue, which ties in just the littlest bit with that of **Color of Life**. Mostly, though, it's going to be a bit of a jumping-off point for the next fic in the CoL side series, tentatively entitled **Silver Blue**.

And just one final thing that my ever-lovely beta and friend Eternal SailorM pointed out to me; yes, Jounouchi has been looking vampires in the eye the past three chapters. How can he do so, since most people can't? He's _not_ human, and in truth never _has_ been. As a Wereleopard he doesn't fall under the rules for most people, and had he never been turned he would have been a fairly powerful witch. Although he wouldn't have been able to look vamps in the eye he wouldn't have turned tail if one was trying to intimidate him.

Again, Epilogue to come soon!

Chapter Eight  
Epilogue


	10. Epilogue

**Cursed Gold**  
Epilogue: Endings...  
by Katsuko

All disclaimers and warnings are posted in chapter one.

Dedications: My wonderful beta readers Eternal SailorM and Desolate03, the latter of whom came into the process not long ago and has been both muse and sounding board. Also the kitties Aya, Biscuit and Mika-chan for keeping me company while I type.

Archive: if ESM wants it; The Asylum; Katsuko's Obsession. All others please ask.

Notes: Wow. The final piece of this puzzle is almost in place. Unfortunately, it may cause more questions than answers.

Originally, this epilogue was going to tie in heavily with that of Eternal SailorM's **Color of Life**. As I tried and tried to write what I had intended, the words refused to come. I realized with a start that my mind set was no longer allowing me to write Kaiba and Jounouchi as a couple. I stepped away for a while to ponder what course of action to take. Should I just skip the epilogue and not continue the series? Should I take weeks or possibly months to churn out something that I couldn't really be proud of? Should I take the story in another direction entirely?

And then ESM, my lovely yami, gave me an idea.

The result is the final note of CG, which you are about to read. Nothing will be the same again, at least not for Kaiba Seto and Jounouchi Katsuya.

* * *

They say that love conquers all.

They don't know what they're talking about.

For those who are still human, yeah, _maybe_ love is the end all and be all, able to cure all the ills of the world. For those of us in the undead or fuzzy set, love is a whole other ball game.

Three weeks. Three weeks of the warm happy feeling in my stomach, of the racing of my heart at faint smiles and the presence almost as familiar as my own. Two weeks of having someone comfort me as I worried over Dorobou's condition, afraid that the doctors were going to keep him in that hospital just as they had once tried to keep me there, some three years ago. One week of snarling off stray members of _his_ pard that kept wandering into my turf.

And just as suddenly as it had begun, I realized that I wasn't _in love_.

My instincts were starting to drive me insane. One part of me was saying "Seto is my mate, he can protect me from anything" while at the same time another was screaming "Seto is Master, he must be protected from his enemies." It was getting to the point where I wasn't sleeping more than three hours at a time, frightened that someone would slip in while I was asleep and my vampire was helpless.

Last week, on the last night of 'us', Seto approached me and asked what was wrong. And I... I couldn't lie to him. I told him what was bothering me, about my warring instincts and that... that I love him, always will love him, but that I am not in love with him and don't think I ever can be. He was quiet for a long time, so long that I thought it might be a wise idea to start moving my stuff into one of the groundskeepers' houses towards the back of the property. Then he spoke, his words echoing mine in so many ways.

We loved, we _love_, but we are not _in love_.

After what felt like hours trying to figure out why we _wanted_ to be together but _needed_ to be apart I finally crumbled and called Kaasan. She's a damned smart woman, a fountain of knowledge in so many aspects. She didn't even need to check her books to tell us what was going on: Seto is a Master vampire, and my animal side responded heavily to his subconscious call. Thinking about it, my crush became something more only after he was turned.

Doesn't make it hurt any less.

Right now, Seto is in his office, feeding and making arrangements for when Dorobou finally comes home. I think one of his brothers arrived sometime last night after I shut myself away in one of the upper bedrooms but I haven't ventured out yet this evening. I hope it's the elder one of the pair, I like him because he smells of warmth and sunlight even though he can't have seen the sun in at least a good three centuries. And he makes Seto happy. I think Seto might even love him, not the way he loves me or Mokuba, but that elusive _in love_ feeling that we don't really have for one another.

As for me... the leopard wants to roam, to mark my territory more and keep all others away. It wants to go into the city and hunt up trouble. It wants to steal Dorobou away from the hospital and secure him in a safe den where no one will harm him. The human, though, just wants to be _away_ for a while. He wants to mourn something that was never real to begin with but that he wishes hadn't ended. He wants to be held and told he is loved, that someone is in love with him. He wants to be in love with someone, anyone, who knows what he is and is not frightened away. He wants Seto back.

But I cannot have him.

I will do nothing to harm our friendship or the love that we have toward one another. For now, it is all that I can have.

Outside of the Kaiba mansion, across from the gates, a young man stands frowning. The beauty he admires resides within, out of reach yet somehow not. His true employer has been in the hospital for a while now, and the beauty had until last week come and gone with Kaiba every time the new Master of Domino went out. Now, though, Kaiba still comes and goes but the beauty remains within the mansion.

It isn't right, isn't fair. How can he admire the one he adores/lusts for if the golden suncat remains shut away? It will not do. He will talk to the Boss and find out what has occurred. If the suncat is still the vampire's then he will stay away but keep his fantasies. If the suncat is no one's again then he will try once more to seduce him. After all, his calmer personality does indeed have something akin to affection for the suncat. Perhaps in time he will feel something more than wanting.

Decision made, the dark-skinned man nods shortly and begins to walk towards the hospital, light hair accented by the streetlights.

An Ending... and a Beginning

* * *

And thus ends **Cursed Gold**, on a bit of a low note. When I originally started this the intention was for Jounouchi and Kaiba to be _together_, good times or bad. But... well, my interest in puppyshipping has waned and for whatever reason this just seemed to be a natural conclusion.

Yes, Kaiba loves Jounouchi, and Jounouchi does love him as well. Unfortunately they cannot be together if each is to remain the person that the other has come to love. They are friends, but more than that, through the events in the **Endless Loop** saga thus far they have become family. To the leopard, Kaiba is Master and Pard, someone to be cared for and protected. To the vampire, Jounouchi is Kin and Brother, someone whom he feels responsible for. More than anything, each wants the other to be happy... even if that means they cannot be together.

Don't worry, though. Life will improve somewhat for both the boys. Jounouchi's story will continue in **Avarice**; Kaiba's may well continue in a spin-off of Eternal SailorM's **Blood and Sacrifice** by Desolate03.

Chapter Nine


End file.
